Pregnant women urged to get whooping cough vaccine

Whooping cough rates have risen recently, according to the NHS

Pregnant women have been advised to get vaccinated for whooping cough and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust.

The reminder was prompted by a recent rise in whooping cough (pertussis) cases, which peak every three to five years in the UK. Babies who become infected are at risk of hospitalisation and even death.

RSV is a common cause of coughs and colds. Most people get it several times during their life.

Vaccination reduces the risk of severe RSV lung infection by around 70% in the first six months of life, according to NHS Frimley's maternity website.

Pregnant women can have the whooping cough vaccine anytime from 16 weeks, with the RSV vaccine administered from 28 weeks, according to the NHS Frimley maternity website.

The NHS is also encouraging pregnant women to get protected against flu and Covid-19 to avoid a "tripledemic" of RSV, flu and Covid.

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